Stock-car



(No ModeL) M. A. DE E 81' 1 Stock Ga-r.

No. 236,309. Patented Jan. 4,1881.

INVENTOR 971. 6/. 47664.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY N. PETERS, PHOTO-UTNDGRAPHES, WLSRING'LON. D. G.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

MARK A 'DEES, OF SGRANTON, MISSISSIPPI.

STOCK-CAR.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,309, dated January 4, 1881.

Application filed August 31, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARK A. DEEs, of Scranton, in the county of Jackson and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Stock-Oars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings-is a vertical transverse section of this car. Fig. 2 is a top view of the magazine with the roof of car removed to show the position of the magazine-feeder with relation to the feed-box.

This invention has relation to certain improvements in cars for transporting live stock; and it .consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the broad belly-cloth, hung by ropes attached to its four corners and to the roof-frame of the car, and the oblique bands, passing also from the roof-frame around and under the breast and hips of the animal, said bands crossing each other above the bellycloth, and being connected therewith by means of loops, through which they pass. 7

The invention also consists in the construction and novelarrangementfin connection with the feed-box or manger, of a vertical elongated magazine-feederhavingitsupperend communicating with an opening through the car-roof, and its lower end made tapering downward and terminating in the feed-box by an oblique mouth below the margin of said box, all as hereinafter shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the outer uprights of the car-frame, and B inner stanchions extending from the rafters G to the sills downward through the mangers D, which extend lengthwise along each side of the car, as shown in the drawings. Each manger is supported on short blocks a, between which are air-passages under the mangers, communicating externally, so as to afford free ventilation, and to enable the attendant to clean the floor of the car from the outside.

A water-tank, D, may be arranged in the car, and pipes I) laid along the back board, 0, of the manger, and provided with spouts dfor each feed-box E. These feed-boxes are designed to be secured within the manger, usuallyto its front wall, e, and they are not so deep as the mangers, the latter being used for hay.

F indicates a squared feed-magazine, which is secured by means of flanges or lugs to the car-frame in such a manner that its open upper end, f, will communicate with an opening, g, in the roof, which is provided with a hinged cover, h. The lower end of this magazine is made tapering or funnel-shaped, as shown at k, extending downward into the feedbox, and terminating in an oblique opening or mouth, m, which is below the margin of the feed-box. The axis of the delivery funnel or cone 7a is inclined so as to bring the mouth m in the corner of the feed-box, and to provide as much space as possible outside next the animals head for its convenience in feeding.

The animals are designed to be arranged with alternate heads and tails in the car, and as each consumes the supply in its feed-box it clears the oblique mouth of the magazine, letting down more feed, the flow stoppingas soon as the box is filled up to the height of the upper margin of the delivery-mouth In. The magazine is designed to hold a supply sufficient for a journey, and as the feed is automatic no attention is required on the route.

In order to prevent the animals from lying or falling down, and thereby getting injured, each one is provided with a broad rectangular belly-cloth or hammock, H, which extends transversely under its belly, and is hung, by means of front and rear ropes r, to the rafters, notches n being made therein, at suitable distances apart, for the attachment of short ropes s, to which the hammock-ropes 1 are tied, so that the height of the cloth H can be readily adjusted under the belly of the animal to prevent it from lyingdown, but not to afford a support in the standingposition. In order to keep the belly-cloth stretched and in place, and at the same time to prevent the animal from surging to the front or rear, the oblique breast and hip straps K and L are passed, respectively, around and under the breast and hips of the animal, and extended through loops 4; of the I IOO K and L cross each other, extending obliquely upward to the notches a in the rafter, which are formed nearer the ends thereot than the notches n. Usually shortropes r are also provided, being attached to the rafter, and the ends of the strap-ropes are tied thereto, so that the length of the straps can be easily and readily adjusted to the Varying sizes of the animals.

I am well aware that it is not new to provide feeding-tubes opening through the carroof, and 1 do not claim such devices, broadly; neither do I claim suspending-bands passed under cattle, as such bands are not new, and cannot well be used unless stayed by braces, such as form a part of the invention hereinbefore described.

That I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a stock-car, the combination of the hammock or belly-cloth 11, having the vertical suspending-ropes r, extcndingfroin its corners,

and the loops 1;, the ropes r, attached to ropes s, and the oblique breast-strap K and oblique hip-strap L, passing through said loops and secured to the ropes 0", whereby said straps K L form, with the cloth H, a support for theanima], as shown and described.

2. In a stoclecar, the combination, with a feed-box, E, and an opening in the roof having a cover, h, of the magazine-feeder F, having an oblique funnelshaped or tapering lower end, It, terminating in an oblique mouth, m, extending below the margin of the feed-box and toward the corner thereof, and formingan automatic feed, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

MARK A. DEES.

Witnesses:

PHILIP G. MAsI, M. P. CALLAN. 

